The present invention relates to a label feeding apparatus for supplying labels one by one to a label sticking device where labels are stuck to containers such as bottles and cans, and more in particular, it is concerned with an apparatus which is capable of supplying labels while keeping the label magazine stationary.
Conventionally in order to stick labels to containers such as bottles and cans which are transported by riding on a belt conveyor, a glued label is held on a rotating application drum by suction with its glued surface facing outside and a container is pressed against the application drum for sticking the label to the container. For supplying labels to this application drum, a rotary type label feeding apparatus provided with a plurality of suction members is disposed between the application drum and the label magazine in which labels are removed one by one by means of these suction members and transferred to the application drum. In such a customary label feeding apparatus, the outer surface of the suction member must be arc-shaped since it is in a rotary contact with the application drum. For this reason, it is likely that a label is held only with line contact with the suction member. In view of this and in order to secure the label holding performance, the label magazine has to be moved back and forth and/or right and left in synchronism with the movement of the suction member. Thus, in a customary label feeding apparatus, the label magazine itself is necessarily complicated in structure; and moreover, the magazine cannot be replenished with labels while in operation. So, the label feeding operation must be temporarily stopped when the magazine is running out of labels, which constitutes one of the reasons for the low operation efficiency of the customary label feeding apparatuses.